CPT 01656: Anesthesia for Axillary-to-Femoral Bypass Graft
Commercial payers pay $67 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 01656 describes anesthesia services provided for a bypass graft procedure from the axillary artery to the femoral artery, a surgical arterial bypass; service type: anesthesia for vascular bypass graft surgery; typical site of service: hospital operating room or inpatient surgical suite where vascular procedures are performed.
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National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National commercial rates for CPT 01656 cluster around BUCA’s average commercial benchmark of $66.6, with noticeable variation across major carriers. Blue Cross Blue Shield shows a wide spread between the 25th and 75th percentiles ($41.40 to $74.70), a $33.30 interquartile range that points to substantial dispersion in negotiated rates. Cigna’s interquartile spread ($67.70 to $119.90) equals $52.20, the largest among the listed payers, while Aetna’s interquartile range ($42.00 to $71.50) is $29.50. UnitedHealth Group is relatively tighter with a 25th–75th spread of $51.40 to $80.90, or $29.50, matching Aetna on IQR width.
Looking at upper-tail differences, Cigna reaches the highest 90th percentile at $145.90, indicating more aggressive high-end reimbursements compared with UnitedHealth Group’s $95.00 and Blue Cross Blue Shield’s $102.30. Median levels cluster near BUCA’s midpoint: Cigna ($85.70) sits well above BUCA’s $58.90 median, while UnitedHealth Group ($63.70), Blue Cross Blue Shield ($51.90), and Aetna ($48.00) are nearer or below BUCA’s average. These contrasts highlight that Cigna both pays higher medians and exhibits the greatest rate dispersion.